The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-03-21
BEECHER DEAD.
Death of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Preacher.

Henry Ward Beecher, patriot, states
man and divine, is dead. He was taken
i'll on the Sd of March, and on the day fol-
lowing was stricken with apoplexy at his
home in Brooklyn. He died at GAS a. m.
on the 9Th of March, and was buried at
Greenwood Cemetery from Plymouth
Church on the 18th Rev. DR.. John Hall
delivered the funeral grafton. The funeral
was private one. He bequeathed all his
property to his family. He was engaged
on the second volume of his Life OF
Christ" when stricken down.
Mr.. Beecher came of the best Puritan
stock, and of his large family of brothers
and sisters not one has failed to make
name of genius or eccentricity. He was
the lineal descendant of the sixth genera
ton of one of the pioneers of New Haven,
who settled there in 1888. His father,
Lyman Beecher, was a great preacher be-
fore him-perhaps as great as New Eng
land ever saw. Henry Ward was the
fourth child. He was born at Litchfeld,
Conn, on June "a, 1913. He grew up like
all boys grow, attended the public schools,
then went through the Boston Latin
School, taught a country school for some
time, and finally was graduated from Am
herst College at the age of 81 years. Then
he studied theology at Lane Seminary
under his father. In 1887 he accepted
call of the Presbyterian Church at Laur-
enceburg, Ind, although his father was
one of the founders of orthodox COngrega-
tionalism. Just previous to accepting this
charge he edited the Cincinnati journal"
a q
taste of journalism that led him to dabble
in it until the day of his death. After
preaching for two years at Laurenceburg
he removed to indianapolis and remained
there eight years. In 1847 he received a
call from Plymouth Congregational Church
in Brooklyn. He accepted it and this was
the turn in the tide that led to fame, if not
to fortune.
H henry Ward Beecher died a rich man.
The insurance alone on his life was $780,
OOO He commenced preaching at Ply
mouth Church on a salary of 81 800 year,
but that salary had been, increased to 500
000 1t is estimated that his gross receipts
from the church amounted to $500, 900 At
first he lectured for $50 per night, but for
years past his figure has been $500 a night
fair average would be thirty lectures a
year, and for forty years his receipts
would amount to $780, 900. He married
from twenty-five to one hundred couples
year, at an average of SIS per marriage as
q fee. This would make $50 900 probably.
He published over seventy volumes of
sermons, lectures and essays, not forget
ting his Life of Christ" which must have
Melted him at least 100000. He wrote
long time for Mr.. Bonner's Ledger"
which paid him for Norwood $25 900
cash, and his services as editor or contrib
utor to the independent" the Ledger"
and the christian Union" probably gave
him combined $25, 900 more, o. a gross
total of $7SO,O0O
In spite of this royal revenue, Mr.. |
Beecher has always been in financial |
straits, and only few years ago he parted
with his valuable library to meet some |
pressing demand. What he did with his !
money will probably remain a mystery. |
Recently he contracted to complete the |
" Life of Christ" the publication of which |
was suspended with the first volume, and |
he had also entered into arrang ements to
write his autobiography, which would have
been a remarkably readable book.